Hello, My name is Edward Boulton. Well, I've always loved video games and anime growing up. I would be drawn to the philosophy-heavy ones, and this led me to reading and watching lots of videos about politics and spirituality. I grew up in Kailua and went to Kailua High School. I transferred from Windward Community College. If I were an artist's tool, I would be the pen because I want to convey a message as I move.
This project examines how religion is portrayed, used, and interpreted in video games—a medium that blends modern culture with ancient themes. Since the 1970s, games have increasingly incorporated religious elements to build immersive narratives, explore moral dilemmas, and shape player experiences. Through detailed examples, the paper shows how video games offer a unique, interactive space for engaging with spiritual and ethical questions, bridging past and present in meaningful, accessible ways.
The concept of creativity has come a long way. The Old Greeks would call those creative forces muses, other religions referred to them as God. Today people still mostly treat creativity as an aha moment outside the area of influence. However, just by looking at the creative process one can tell, that creativity and creative work is more than just that one "Aha-Moment" (insight). It is clear that generating ideas demands planning and preparation, identifying something of interest like a problem, an opportunity or a challenge, doing research. This then leads to thinking of a solution, allowing time to incubate and iterations before arriving at something “complete.” Students learn that hard work is what makes their ideas come to life and sticktuiveness is what helps them get better.
Edward bridges pixels and parables in his original book, soon to be published on Amazon, exploring the complex role of religion in video games. Drawing from his research on how games since the 1970s have used spiritual themes to build worlds, pose moral dilemmas, and engage players in deep ethical reflection, Edward’s work offers both critique and celebration of this unique intersection. His book invites readers to see games not just as entertainment, but as modern spaces for exploring timeless questions of faith, meaning, and morality.
Where ancient belief meets interactive play—Edward Writes WipeOut Game Over. Stay tuned for link to purchase the book.